Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-26
Secretary Lamar uniuslIy Criticised


| There ism doubt that the Indians have
been pretty badly treated in times past
! by agents Of the government in the West
! ana II is certain that great many IN
! dams have received much better treat
ment than they deserved. The Apaches'
| Tor instance, have not hesitated to roo
and murder innocent settlers whenever
| the opportunity TO do so has presented
itself No amount OF kind treatment has
been sufficient to induce them to roman
on their reservation and conduct them
selves in quiet and orderly way in &C
cordsnce with their pledges. 1t seems,
however, that these bad Indians have
sympathizers who are trying TO create
the impression that the government has
been guilty OF treating them with great
harshness and injustice.
the case referred TO especially is that
OF the Chiricabus Apaches who are now
prisoners at Fort Marion, Fla. There are
no worse Indians IN the country than
these Apaohes, and their chief, Chatt0. is
about as bloOdthirsty u murderer, from
all accounts, as has ever mad the freedom
OF the Western plains.
ChattO and his murderous gang, how
ever, have a sympatnizer in Mr.. Her bert
W alsh. the corresponding secretary OF
the Indian Rights Association, who lately
paid them VISIT. MIR. Walsh has pub
lished some statements which are calcu
lated to create the impression that these
Apaches are the victims of bad faith on
the part of Mr.. Lamar, the Secretary OF
the Interior. According to his story
Chatto and fourteen OF his band went
to Washington to have a talk with the
Secretary, who wanted them to consent
to be removed from Arizona to Florida.
they refused, and while on their way
home they were, according to MIR. Walsh,
switched off from their home route, and,
without word of warning, taken as
prisoners to Florida.
MIR. Walsh, If he had been DESTROYS OF
getting at the exact truth, would have
made inquiries about the matter at the
proper sources of information. He
would then have learned that the
Apaches were not kidnapped and
taken to Florida against their will,
and that Secretary Lamar had
nothing whatever to do with taking them
there. 1t is true that he invited them to
Washington, and told Chatto that his
record was so bad that the people of Ari-
iona wanted TO get rid of him. When
Chatto refused TO leave the San Carlos
reservation the Secretary turned him and
his companions over to the War Depart
ment to be taken back to Arizona. When
the party reached Leavenworth Chatto
learned that warrants we're out for him
and many OF his braves in Arizona for
murder and other crimes committed
there. He concluded that it wouldn't be
healthy for him to go back to his reserva-
ton, and begged to be taken to Florida.
His request was complied with, and he
and his band are now at Fort Marion,
where they are likely to stay for some
time.
From this it appears that Mr.. Walsh's
sympathy for the bloodthirsty Apaches
led him into making a very grave mis-
take. The Apaches are better off where
they are than they would be in Arizona,
because at Fort Marion they have the
prospect OF reaching pretty ripe old age.
In Arizona their lives wouldn't be worth
much. Their crimes in that Territory
have been too numerous to entitle them
a long lease OF lie there.
The proper thing for Mr.. Walsh to do
now is to frankly acknowledge that when
he published his statement he wasn't ac-
quainted with the facts. and that he had
no valid excuse for not learning them be-
fore attacking Secretary Lamar.